14-year-old serial burglar in Vienna: 50 cars broken into!

14-year-old serial burglar in Vienna: 50 cars broken into!

In Vienna, a 14-year-old boy caused a stir after he was caught by the police. The teenager is suspected of having broken into a significant number of vehicles in the city area - we are talking about around 40 to 50 cars. The arrest took place on Tuesday morning around 6:15 a.m. in Meidling. The boy was noticed because he drove unsafely through the streets in a stolen car. During a check, the police discovered a badly damaged car in Wittmayergasse that was parked on the sidewalk. The teenager confessed to breaking the side window of the vehicle and using a key found in the glove compartment to start the car.

During the search of the teenager, the police found cash amounting to 2,298.67 euros, two knives, pepper spray, various tobacco products and a damaged garage opener. When questioned, the arrested man did not provide any information about his accomplices. On the orders of the Vienna public prosecutor's office, the 14-year-old was released. The investigation into the unknown accomplices is being continued by the Vienna State Criminal Police Office, South Branch. Anyone with information is asked to come forward. This incident is not an isolated incident, as crime statistics show an alarming trend.

Youth crime on the rise

According to the police's current reporting statistics, there is a worrying increase in youth crime in Vienna. In 2024, over 14,800 suspects under the age of 18 were reported, an increase of 33%. What is particularly notable is the sharp increase in suspects in the 10 to 14 age group from 3,186 to 5,066. The proportion of perpetrators who come from abroad is also an alarming 57.1%.

While break-ins into apartments and houses fell in the previous year, property crimes rose by 4.7% to a total of 131,101 cases. The number of reported robbery crimes even increased from 1,180 to 1,394 cases, which corresponds to an increase of 18.1%. A sad record was recorded for reported rapes: These rose by 10.9% to 519. The murder rate has also increased, with 26 murders in 2024, of which 24 were solved.

Focus on prevention

In view of these worrying developments, an interdisciplinary working group on “child and youth crime” was set up in Vienna in 2024. The aim of this group is to intensify prevention work and find solutions to increase safety for children and young people. A look at these statistics and the incidents like the one with the 14-year-old clearly shows that there is something going on and the city must act to offer young people a positive environment.

Further information on current developments can be found at Pulse24, Today and ORF Vienna.